


Cover Me Up

by kaylakaboo



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:55:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27787882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaylakaboo/pseuds/kaylakaboo
Summary: Steve Rogers has managed to get himself into a kind of trouble the Avengers can’t handle alone. When it becomes your job to save him by getting close with him, can you keep your feelings separate and avoid hurting him all without getting yourself killed?
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Reader
Kudos: 19





	Cover Me Up

Natasha scans her surrounding once again as she leans her elbows against the low wall. A quiet night allowed for a deeper appreciation of the twinkling lights from the city and a light breeze makes her skin prickle just a bit.

There’s a certain nervousness that had settled deep in her bones earlier that day, but the sound of boot tread behind her makes her smile.

“A roof? Really Nat?” You laugh from behind her “Bit of a cliché, don’t you think?”

“Y/N. Thank you for coming.” She embraces you tightly for just a little longer than expected.

Just twenty-four hours ago you had been spending your time with a lovely local on some island far enough off the grid that you could actually breathe for the first time in months. Suddenly a sat phone you had forgotten about began to ring in the middle of something you would’ve rather finished.

Natasha didn’t say much, just that she needed to speak with you, but there was enough of an edge to her voice that you grabbed your bag and left the country in under an hour.

Squeezing her arm when she releases you, you frown. “What is it?”

“We need you.”

**

You shift in the leather chair again, the restrictiveness of the pencil skirt you were forced into making you more uncomfortable than the secretary that kept eying you.

“Will you stop?” Natasha chuckles.

“You’re the one who put me in this thing.” You pick at the hem and glare at her when there’s barely any give. “Why does this have to be so formal anyways?”

She is sympathetic, understanding what it’s like to always be prepared for a fight and then being put in an environment you know nothing of while trying to fit the part of a very put together agent type. You were many things, and very good at what you did, but you were not the business jacket, pencil skirt, and kitten heels type.

You had been reminded, however, that you had a debt to repay after an unfortunate interaction on the coast of Kuwait. In reality, life debt of not, there’s not much you wouldn’t do for Natasha Romanoff. Not after everything.

“Because we do things on book here. Me wanting your help is not enough for them to just give you access to a bunch of classified and sensitive information.”

You huff. “Like they could stop me.”

“Probably shouldn’t advertise that.” She matches your sly grin.

When the secretary finally leads you to a back office through a hallway of windows, you wish you had asked just a few more questions before agreeing to whatever it was your old friend was about to suck you into.

A man named Nick Fury looks you up and down before frowning towards Natasha. “This is your big gun?” You scoff at the insult. “Look, Romanoff, I know you’re worried but if I wanted a spy to handle this I’d give it to one of the few hundred we’ve already vetted.”

You turn to Natasha and raise an eyebrow. She winces slightly when she sees you take a step forward. “I’m sorry, where the hell do you get off assuming you know anything about what I’m capable of?”

“I’m sure you’re-“

“Did you hear about the separatist group that took over Moldova and almost started another war?” You interrupt whatever placation you were certain would be patronizing and Fury shakes his head. “Exactly. You’re welcome by the way.”

Natasha raises a hand to stop you before you really let him have it. “She’s what we need and she’s one of the only people outside that I would trust with his life.”

Side-eyeing her, you definitely wish you had asked a few more question. “Why am I here?”

Fury looks to Natasha and waits for her nod before he continues. “When Steve Rogers became a part of SHIELD, things started off rocky. He shook a few hornet’s nests before he fell in line.”

That didn’t surprise you. From the very little you had heard of the people Natasha was running with now, you were able to gather he was as stubborn as he was good. Colonel Phillips also had quite a bit to say about him, but you weren’t one to judge.

“Are a few threatening to sting or something?”

“Three weeks ago, we caught wind that a bounty was put out for his head.” Natasha pauses and looks towards the ground. “Half a billion dollars.”

Your eyebrows raise at the price tag. “Can’t imagine there weren’t any takers. Does he know?”

“Yes. He’s agreed to stay in base and off mission until we sort this out.”

“Reluctantly.” Natasha points out. “Unfortunately, last week an agent we placed undercover for a separate mission found evidence of a rogue agent within our walls. The day he got orders to stay grounded, a Quinjet burst into flames on the tarmac.”

You nod slowly. “Which means they don’t care who else they get in the crossfire. Alright, so what’s my role in all of this?”

“Identify the agent.” Fury says it as if it’s really that simple. Rather than asking him to further clarify, you turn to Natasha.

“We’ll send you in posing as a new recruit I’m bringing in. You and I will start a few whispers that you are also out for the money and your plan is to take him out by getting close with him.”

Clearly, they’d already planned most of this. “And you’ve briefed him?” Natasha’s guilty look tells you all you need to know. “Oh, you want me to emotionally manipulate Captain America? To do what?”

“To save his life. He’d never agree on bringing in someone else with the people who have already been hurt. Hopefully it’ll draw this guy out.”

“And instead turn him on me?”

“What? Don’t think you can handle it?” Natasha smirks.

You roll your eyes. “When do I start?”

The smile that breaks across her face is enough to make you regret every decision you had made in the last 48 hours that brought you here.

“You can’t back out.”

**

“America’s golden boy is ogling you.” Natasha snickers from behind you.

You roll your eyes when you turn to her. “That’s the point, isn’t it? Although he’s probably wondering what the hell I’m doing here. This dress Tony picked is absolutely ridiculous.” You pick at the deep red fabric wrapped tightly around your torso, looking for sympathy in your old friend’s face. It’s most certainly not there.

Meeting Tony was the least ridiculous thing you had to endure today. It only took him about three minutes to be on board with a complete stranger joining the team, but you were guessing that this was your test.

You had just dropped your stuff on the floor of your room when your eyes caught site of a white box with a bow and your name on it. Inside was a chiffon gown more expensive than anything you’d ever owned. You traced your fingers along the fabric before pulling it out and holding it against your body.

It was probably the most beautiful thing you’d ever get to wear.

While it was fitted around your waist, it seemed as if a crimson river flowed from your hips making the most effortless movement look as if you were dancing. The slit up to your thigh was an addition you were grateful for each time you moved and preferred over what you had donned that morning.

From there, you had to endure an entire stylist team as they plucked and powdered and smudged until you seriously considered disappearing. But when you looked in the mirror and saw the subtle smokey eye and loose curls cascading down your back, the thought that you could get used to this crossed your mind.

Not that you would ever admit any of this to Natasha, but just maybe you’d been doing back roads and off the grid for a little too long.

“It was free and it’s gorgeous. Honestly, with how low that cut is, I’m surprised more aren’t drooling.” She rolls her eyes at your glaring frown. “After New York, Tony started upping the recruiting antics. Which is why you’re being subjected to the absolute horror that is a gala.”

“Recruiting?” You echo. “Nat, we’ve been through this.”

More times than you could count, actually. Each time she ‘casually’ ran into you, she had a different sales pitch. Your favorite so far had been ‘think about all the outfits you’ll never have to sow back together’. Simple, but you had just added a second patch to your tactical pants and had pricked your fingers more times than you’d care to admit.

It might be the most you’ve ever considered it.

She waves you off. “Yeah Avenging isn’t your schtick. But it’s not so bad.”

“How so?” You huff.

Natasha reaches behind the bar and grabs a bottle of vodka. “Stark spares no expense, booze included.”

“Well, if you do want to poach me, you’re certainly on the right track.”

**

“You meet the new recruit yet?” Sam startles Steve from behind him. “I hear she could knock you and Barnes on your asses without breaking a sweat.”

Steve laughs. “SHIELD recruits need to practice taking just you down, I doubt she’s there yet. Maybe one day if she’s half as good as Sharon.”

Sam snorts behind his glass and shakes his head. “Not SHEILD, man. Tony and Natasha are trying to bring in some badass she knew back in the day. That’s all I know though, figured you would’ve latched onto her already.”

“Why’s that?” Steve takes a sip from his whiskey and Sam smirks.

“You clearly have a type.”

Steve rolls his eyes, but freezes when he catches a smile you flash his way. He watches you for longer than he’d be comfortable with anyone knowing. Long enough that Sam stops trying to keep a conversation going and walks away with an ‘I told you so’.

He just can’t help it.

He thinks you are spectacular.

Weaving through the agents and the brass and so many political figures as if you had been at this all you. For a moment he supposes it could all be an act, but he’d rather believe you.

“Who is she?” Bucky asks from across the bar.

“I have no idea.” He says with wonder. Yet. He almost adds.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on Tumblr @kaylakaboo!


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